Suspension means for motor-vehicles



Feb. 19, 1935. P R'ILEY 1,991,911

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet lFeb. 19, 1 935. P, RILEY 1,991,911

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig. 3.

Feb. 19, 1935} R RILEY 1,991,911

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Feb. '19, 1 935. P R Y 1,991,911

SUSPENSICN MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4Fig. 7.

"MIN" Feb. 19, 1935. P RILEY I 1,991,911

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Fi .8. l7 I Feb. 19, 1935. P! EY 1,991,911

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May' 24, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6Patented Feb. 19, 1935 7 1,991,911

.U TE A TA S PATENT OFFICE Application May 24, 1934, Serial .No. 727,361

.. I In Great BritainMay 3, 1933 4 Claims. v,(Cl. 267 -20) Thisinvention relates to suspension systems The spindle is provided on itsperiphery and for motor-vehicles, of the kind where a road more or lesscentrally with a number of heliwheel is mounted on a crank, or asteerable porcally-arranged keys 19, 19 which engage corretion thereof;which is rotatable about a horizonsponding internal slots in a nut 20mounted for '6 tal transverse axis against spring resistance, theslidable movement in the casing 1'7 but held crank lying more orless'horizontally. against rotation. One method of mounting it The mainobject of the invention is to provide consists in forming it wit m PP animproved arran'ge'mentoi the springs in a site forked parts 21, 21 eachengagedin periphsuspension system of this kind. eral grooves upon bushes22 which, in turn, are 0 f According to the present invention, the crankslidable alongtwo bars'23 fast in the casing and has a screw-threaded orequivalent connection pa al to t Crank p about its rotational axis witha non-rotatable In ordina y Conditions the crank hes in a mOre memberslidably mounted with respect to a supor less horizontal plane. When theroad wheelport for thecrank for movement againstresilirises relativelyto t frame the twisting of the ent means forming the spring'suspension.crank spindle, through its threaded engagement 15 In the accompanyingdrawings:'- r with the nut, actuates this latter axially in one Figure 1is a sectional lan of one form of direction against a relatively longbut strong springing, according to the invention, for a steersprin r sprn 24 d p d -a a around able ,wheel ofa motor-car; the crank spindle, thespring or springs acting Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof andbetween the adjacent 'end of the nut and a stop 20 Figure -3 across-section taken on the line plate at the other end. gThese springsmay be III III of Figure 2; subject purely to compression; or, ifdesired, the Figure 4 is a plan'of another form or springing stop platecan be anchored on the crank spindle fora steerable wheel of amotor-car; so that the springs would be subjected totorsion 25 Figure5is a part-sectional elevation thereof aswell as to compression. If anyfurther spring- 26 and ing effect is needed'this may be obtained byFigure 6 an end view'with the brake drum compression springs 26 co-axialwith the guiding omitted; 1 bars 23. On the other side of the nut is astrong Figure 7 is a plan of a further springing a'rshort recoil spring2'7 co-axial withthe crank rangement, for a steerablewheeh spindle, thisspring being compressed when the 30 Figure 8 is a part-sectionalelevation taken on road wheel falls relatively to the frame, in whichthe line VIII -VIII of Figure 7 and case the nut is actuated inthe otherdirection. Figure 9 is an end view taken on the line The casings 1'1 forthe two front wheels are IX IX of Figure 8; 5 I conveniently mounted onthe end of or united 35, "Figure 10 is a part-sectional plan of aspringby a transverse tube 28 acting to stiffen the ing arrangement, fora non-steerable wheel; frame. 7 Figure ll is an endview taken on theline In the modification of Figure 8, the spindle 13 XIXI of Figurelo;and is formed between the two ball bearings 16, 16 Figure 12 is an endview and with a multi-start quick-thread portion 29 on .Figure 13 apart-sectional elevation taken its peripheryon which works the nut 20having 0 on the line XIIIXII I, of Figure 12 of another one or more lugs30 engaged in longitudinal inarrangement. I ternal recesses 31 of thecasing 17. The main Like numerals indicate like parts throughout andrecoil springs 24, 27, are arranged on oppothe drawings." I site sidesof the nut to bear against packings 32 In the construction of Figures 1to 3, the crank disposed near the two ball bearings, respectively. 45 12is arranged to trail, and it' is inclined at an In the modification ofFigures 4 to 6 the supangle of more than 90Tdegrees to its spindle 13port 1'7 for the crank spindle 13, which may be to accommodate thesteering movements (indiarranged as shown in Figures 1 to 3or as showncated by the chain lines 14) of the road wheel, in Figure 8, is mounteddirectly upon and above the steering axis 15 beingthrough the free endthe adjacent chassis longitudinal 18, and secured 50 of the crank. Thecrank'spindle is journalled at to the underside of the latter in thesame vertical its ends in'anti-friction bearings 16, 16 ina supplane isa further support 33 providing a journal portingcasing 17 which, as amatter of conbearing for a similar and parallel crank 34. At venience,is built up of a barrel and end plates. their free ends the cranks 12,34 carry transverse This casing is carried fast on the vehicle frame 18.horizontal pins 85, 35 with their axes ina vertical 55 plane, the pinsbeing carried by a support 36 for the stub axle 37 of the road Wheel.

The lower crank 34 may be connected with its support 33 beneath thechassis longitudinal 18 in the manner of the upper crank 12, to providesome of the spring suspension; or, alternatively, it may be adapted as ashock-absorber. Alternatively, it may be replaced by a plain hinged arm,parallelto the upper crank, similar to the arm 40 of Figures 7 to 9. a

In a modification of this arrangement, not illustrated, the stub axle 37may be supported directly from the free ends of the two cranks 12, 34(or the crank 12 and the hinged arm) through ball-and-socket means whichserve for taking both the steering and the springing movements.

In the modification of Figuresfl; 8 and 9, in which only one crank 12 isused, the support 1'7 therefor is steered as a whole. The steering axis15 preferably passes to one side of the support instead of through it,the whole swingingabout or with the pin 38 on a transverse member of thechassis frame which is forked as shown in Figure 8, The brake anchorplate 39 isshown as being hinged to an arm 40 hingedto a dependingbracket 41 rigid with the supportl'l, this means serving fortaking thereaction of the brake. This arm 40 is at all times parallel to the crank12, and may be adapted to form part of a shockabsorber. The stub axle 37isin this case integral with the crank.

As regards a rear driving or non-steerable wheel, substantially the sameconstructions can be adopted as those previously described, except thathere each crank 12 can be at right-angles to its journalled spindle, asin Figures '7 to 9. The differential mechanism may be supported directlyfrom the frame and connectedto drive the rear wheels through shaftsuniversally jointed adjacent the wheels and adjacent the differentialmechanism. The cranks 12 in this case can conveniently be leading.

Inthenon-steering Wheel arrangement of Figures 10 and 11, there is but asingle crank 12, upon the lines of the'construction of Figures 1 to 3.The driven shaft 42 is journalledat 43 in the free end of the crank 12formed with a tubular part Mon which the wheel hub 45 is journalled;

the'wheelhub having a driving connection at 46 with the shaft 42. 1

The arrangement of Figures 12 and 13 is somewhat similar to the lastexcept that, in addition,

.an arm 40 is journalled in the support 33 for movement about atransverse horizontal axis in the vertical plane through the rotationalaxis of the crank 12. The free end of the arm is hinged to the brakeanchor plate 39, and thus serves for taking the braking reactions. Ifdesired it may also be adapted as a crank (suchasthe crank 34 of Figures4, 5 and 6) as previously described to provide some of the springing orfor shock-absorbing purposes. I

With the arrangements of independent wheel springing above'described,body roll is prevented and a high degree of riding comfort is obtained.By the use of a screw-threaded or equivalent connection between thecrank spindles and the nuts any desired degree of friction can beintroduced, though preferably the connections would be the equivalent ofvery quick threads.

What I claim as my invention and desire to se cure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:-

1. A suspension means for a motor vehicle and the brake anchor platecomprising a substantially horizontally disposed crank, a crank shaftseupon rotation ofthe shaft, means engaging on,

each side of the slide resisting longitudinal movementof the slide ineither direction, said means maintaining said crank in a normalsubstantially horizontal position, means for pivotally securing thehousing to a fixed portion of the vehicle whereby said housing may swingin a horizontal plane, and means connecting the anchor plate f with thehousing for holding the anchor plate against turning movement. 7

2. A suspension means for a motor vehicle and the brake anchor platecomprising a substantially horizontally disposed crank, a crank shaftsecured at one end to an endof the crank and disposed on an anglerelative to the crank, a. stub shaft secured to the other end ofthecrankonan axis at right angles to the length ofthe crank, s

supporting housing in which said shaft isrot at able, a sleeve looselymounted on the shaft,mea.ns for effecting longitudinal movement of thesleeve upon rotation ofv the shaft, means for. holding the sleeveagainst turning, means engagingcn each side of the sleeve resistinglongitudinalmovementof the sleeve in either direction, means forpivotally securing thehousing to a fixed portion of the vehicle-wherebysaid housing may swing in a horiz'ontal plane, and means connect-I ingthe anchor plate with the housing for holding the anchor plate againstturning movement.

3. A suspension means for amotor vehicle and the brake anchor platecomprising asubstantiab ly horizontally disposed crank, a crankshaft'eecured at one end to an end of the crank and disposed on an anglerelative tothe crank; a. stub shaft secured tothe other end of the crankon an axis at right anglestothe length of thecrank, a supporting housingin which said shaft is rotatable, a sleeve loosely mounted on the shaft,means for effecting longitudinal movement 01' the sleeve upon rotationofthe shaft, means for holding the-sleeve against turning, meansengaging on each side of the sleeve resisting longitudinal movement ofthe sleeve in either, direction, saidlattermeans including pressuremeans on one side of the sleeve actingto maintain said cranksubstantially horizontal when in applied position, means for pivotallysecuring the housing to a fixed portion of the ve-: hicle whereby saidhousing may swing in a' horizontal plane, and means connecting theanchor plate with the housing for, holding anchor plate against turningmovement.

4; A suspension means for a motor vehicle.

and the brake anchor plate comprising a sub-1 stantially horizontallydisposed crank, a crank shaft secured at one end to an endof the crankand disposed on an angle relative to the crank, a stub shaft secured tothe other end of the crank on an axis at right angles to the length ofthe crank, a housing inwhich said shaft is rotatable, means for securingsaid housing to the frame of the vehicle, a sleeve loosely mounted onthe shaft, thread means carried bythe shaft the sleeve to effectlongitudinal movement of the sleeve upon partial rotation of theshaft,,means for holding the sleeve against turning while permittinglongitudinal movement thereof, a pressure means in the housing engagingagainst one end of the sleeve to constantly urge the sleeve to move inone direction, a second pressure means in the housing engaging againstthe other end of the sleeve and having a greater tension than the firstpressure means whereby to maintain said crank in substantiallyhorizontal position when in applied position, means for pivotallysecuring the housing to a fixed portion of the vehicle whereby saidhousing may swing in a horizontal plane, and means connecting the anchorplate with the housing for holding the anchor plate 5 against turningmovement.

PERCY RILEY.

